Have you ever thought to yourself: “Why do Catholics do that?” Perhaps you even find yourself doing something that you only do because you see everyone else doing it. In this space each week we hope to address the question: “Why do Catholics do that?”

(Being) Catholic Matters

09-09-2018Catholic ThoughtsDavid Lins

I am someone who pursues justice. I can’t help it. It may have blossomed with my first experience of “the one with the highest-paid lawyer wins,” but I suspect it has always been part of my DNA. Therefore, with the misdeeds of many in our Church leadership coming to light, I want my pound of flesh.

If people are committing heinous acts in any context, they should pay. If others have been complicit through inaction or incompetence, they need to pay right along with the deviants.

What I’m saying is - I “get” how many of you feel. I’m right there with you. I just ask you to proceed with caution.A great man I know personally, Chris Muglia, recently wrote that he will not leave the Church because Christ himself was part of a church that was endlessly corrupt. He sacrificed Himself for that Church. Should we choose a different course than Him? So, what are we to do when we stay?

I hear some talk about giving less to the collection. Bluntly, if you want to put good parish staff members who had nothing to do with this to be out of work, that is a great idea.

I hear more talk of refusing to give another cent to any bishop. If you regularly write personal checks directly to a bishop, this might have an impact. Unfortunately, most of us give to the diocese, not directly to a bishop. This means you will only succeed in putting great men like Steve Greene, the director of Kino Institute, out of work. He is as outraged about this as any of us. Do you really think a bishop’s living quarters will shrink as a result of your actions? Do you really think they will drive a different car? Future lawsuits will still be paid off. If they need to lay people off to accomplish this because of less giving, they will. And think about it - if a particular bishop is truly evil, the only people he will lay off would be his enemies! In our efforts to extract justice, only the innocent will suffer.

Cynically, I think some people choose this method because it is at best, convenient, and at worst, self-serving. We need to put effort into things that are worth it. What would I recommend? First, write the letters I suggested last week. Demand transparency and accountability all the way up. Demand investigations from independent sources. Consider proper protest. Stay current with the news from sites such as www.lifesitenews.com. Find great priests you support and show them a bit of love. They really need it right now. Don’t let this die. Keep talking about it. Pray. Finally, pray for cleansing.